I'm truly lost for words right now.

It turns out that my Nanna, my NANNA, managed to change the course of history and also have no-one know that Rose had a different father to the other kids.

I genuinely don't think my Father nor Uncle know anything about this and to be honest I don't know if this is something Nanna would want the world to know.

The James she mentions near the end is my grandfather, Poppy Jim.
The fact that he knows and has kept this secret for so many years.

Until he cheated? He was a committed family man and parent.

I am in love with the fact that Nanna managed to keep a journal throughout her time working for the Government.

So detailed and interesting and I can almost guarantee that the Australian Government would not want this journal hitting the public or worse, social media.

My family deserves to enjoy their lives the way they have been. In peace and solidarity.

By the time I have finished devouring Nanna's journal, I peek up at the clock to see it's now three am.

As if my body simply adjusts to the time instantly, I yawn deeply and decide to change into my pyjama's, brush my teeth and go to bed.

The adrenaline that I got from piecing it all together is fading, but I need a good night's sleep.

Given just how exhausted I feel, once my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep almost instantly.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

This morning, I have to donate the clothing, linen and other household items that didn't need to be kept.

The rubbish bags of non-saveable items I place in the wheelie bin and given it's the night I need to put the bins on the street, I do that as soon as I put the rubbish bags inside it.

I walk back inside to grab my phone, purse and car keys.
After ensuring I'd locked the front door and have the keys in my pocket, I walk over to my car.

I unlock it and sit in the driver's seat. I put the key in the ignition and start my car.

The engine idles gently as I look up and take in the sight of my Nanna's home.
Every childhood memory made in this home flash through my mind.

My eyes must briefly mist with tears because I had to wipe a few a few of them from my cheeks as I smile and drive off to the op shop.

Once I arrive and go inside the store, I wave to gain the attention of the ladies working in there.

I take a few moments to speak to one of them.

"Hi, my Nanna passed away and I've had to sift through her house and work out the need to keep versus what I can donate."

"My condolences, dear. I'm sorry to hear of your loss." The little old lady in front of me responds.
"What do you have?"

I begin to list the assorted items I have. "There is kitchen items that I cleaned before packing, a few decorations and crystal glass sets, linen and clothing. All have been cleaned before I packed it up to bring here."

"That's so kind of you! Of course I'll take those items. In fact, we appreciate it." Is the kind response I got from the lady.

"Is there somewhere out the back that I can park my car to make unloading it a little bit easier?" I ask her.

"Of course, dear. Follow the road from the car park around to the delivery lot around the back and I'll come and help you bring it in." she said.

"Is there a buzzer or bell to press to get access? Or will you be back there to point me in the right direction?" I ask.

"I'll just meet you there, dear."

I walk out of the door of the shop front and walk over to my car. I unlock it, get in and back out of the car park I was in.

I locate the little delivery lane and drive down it very slowly. I get about three delivery doors in when I see her pop her head out and wave my car in.

I reverse into the roller door area to make unpacking the car nice and easy on myself.

Immediately, the op shop lady tries to lean in the open back door to help me unload it all. I waved her away, smiling and say, "It's honestly ok, I don't mind doing this. I just need you to point me to where you'd like it. Feel free to stay and chat."

Looking back at me she grins and asks, "What's your name, dear? I'm Gladys Retnolds. It's a pleasure to meet you." And extended her arm to offer me her hand to shake.

"I'm Sonia Gallagher. It's also nice to meet you. How long have you volunteered here for?" I ask.

"Forever and a day!" Gladys laughs. "I've lived here all my life."

Our conversation topics are pretty basic until Gladys begins to ask questions about my Nanna.

"Your surname is Gallagher, right dear? Are you any relation to Adelle Gallagher?" Gladys asks me.

"Yes, my Nanna's name is Adelle Gallagher." I answered Gladys's  question.

"No!" Gladys responds with sadness leaking in her tone. "Not Adelle! When did this happen? I'm a member of her church congregation and we caught up for coffee every week!" She babbles.

"Yes, my Nanna, Adelle passed away around a week ago. It is my job to sift through her house and decide on all the details that made Nanna, Nanna." I responded, my eyes misting over again with my grief.

"I'm incredibly sorry, Sonia. Your Nanna is one our treasured members and my close and personal friend, may she rest in eternal peace. May I ask, can you tell me what happened?" Gladys asked me.

"Her bowels. They failed her and she was in respite care, out of pain and passed away in her sleep." I sniffle.

Gladys Immediately grabs the box of tissues and gives  them to me then with tears in her own eyes, grabs me and gives me a tight hug.

"It's a good and brave thing you've done here, Sonia. Clearly her children don't want to participate or assist in this process and I'm sorry that you have been lumped with it. I'm proud of you and I know your Nanna would be, too." Gladys summarises.

I think that hug was overdue. I don't know of anyone else nearby who I will have an instant rapport with or can empathise with me.

"Thank you, Gladys. It's nice to know Nanna had an impact no matter where she travelled or lived in her lifetime." I smiled.

Once I finish unloading the bags and boxes of items, Gladys embraced me again and thanks me for donating the items.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Sonia. Safe travels on your way home, ok?"

"Of course. Bye Gladys, please take care."

With that, I drive out and back onto the main road I need.

I drive slowly to my Nanna's home so I can load the car with items I want to keep. I should also eat breakfast.

"Coffee will go down a treat right now." I thought to myself.

As I pull into Nanna's driveway, my attention is quickly pulled to the dining room window. The curtain moves and I see a shadow but I made sure the door was locked before I left.

"There can't be someone in there, can there?" I think to myself.

I have my phone in my hand with the number '000' for emergency services already on the screen, so all I have to do is hit dial.

With two calming breaths, I pray for the nerves in my stomach will ease as I use the house key to open the door.

"Hello?" I call out. "I don't know who you are or why you're here, but please leave. I don't want to have to call the police."

There's no verbal answer that I can hear, but fluid, white smoke begins floating around me until there is an outline of a female body.

"Thank you Sonia," I hear on a gentle breeze. "Thank you for freeing me by exposing my Mum's lies."

A face begins to form amid the smoke and immediately recognise my Aunt Rose's features.

"I'm free thanks to you." I hear.

"I want you to find your light and fly through it!" I call out. "Your Mum, who loves and misses you very much, is waiting for you at the pearly gates. If this act of exposure I've done is enough to free you, be blessed and go see my Nanna. Make sure she is OK!" I finish.

Sure enough, a soft tunnel of the most pure white light beams down on Aunty Rose and she waves at me.

"Goodbye! It was nice to meet you!" Aunty Rose calls out as she walks into her beam of light.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

I clean up after myself once I finish my coffee I made to go with my toast.

I slowly begin the arduous task of loading all the items from Nanna's house into my car for my return journey.

I'm sad and yet content at the same time.

I unwound the secret my Nanna held onto for over 50 years.
I have managed to clean out the house for my family.
And I even set Aunty Rose's ghost free.

I can't help the small smile that spreads across my face, causing my dimples to show.

The dimples I got from my Nanna.

And my journey into Nanna's past is over. I simply am too proud of my Aunt and myself for being able to get this done.

THE END